UFN FN 34: Saffiedine Breaks Down How to Improve Striking Power

Casual and ‘UFC only’ fans may have heard of Tarec Saffiedine, but unless they went out of their way to watch one of his older fights, chances are they haven’t seen the welterweight throw down. As a result, they may also be wondering why this person is currently ranked #10 in the UFC’s welterweight division, and why he’s fighting Hyun Gyu Lim in the UFC Fight Night 34 headliner this Saturday.

Of course, the reason Saffiedine has been tapped for the high profile bout, is because he’s the last man to hold Strikeforce’s welterweight title (and he’s 8-2 in his last 10 fights). It could also be because the 27 year-old has received high praise for his striking skills, which he showcased last January, when he outgunned Nate Marquardt to become Strikeforce champ.

Recently UFC.com ran an interesting story asking the Shihaishinkai Karate black belt for some tips on how to power up a person’s striking assault. Here is some of the advice Saffiedine gave:

“Get a good coach and start with the basics. Learn to throw a proper punch, knee, and kick, and then add strength conditioning. Kicking a pad will develop power in the legs, but there is a strength and conditioning element, too.”

“Hit the heavy bag, and hit the heavy bag, and hit the heavy bag. And you have to do that over and over and over and over. Repetition.”

Sounds like a solid plan. If you’re a fan of watching impressive punches and kicks, then this Saturday’s main event between Saffiedine and Lim could offer plenty of them. Lim has knocked out Pascal Krauss and Marcelo Guimares since arriving in the UFC, and six of his last seven wins have come via KO or TKO.